Snowmobiles are a widely used means of transportation in snowy regions. They are especially popular for recreational purposes such as trail riding or racing.
The typical snowmobile is propelled by a rear mounted endless rubber track powered by a gasoline engine and is steered by two forward mounted skis. A driver controls direction of the snowmobile using a set of handlebars mounted at the upper end of a steering post. The steering post is connected to the skis' steering system through an arm at its lower end which is a torque inducing component, such that as the torque is transmitted along the steering post from the handlebars. The torque is then transferred through the arm to the steering linkages of the steering system to turn the skis in synchronized fashion with respect to the drive track. A handlebar riser is typically mounted between the handlebars and the steering post to provide the driver with a more comfortable riding position.
Snowmobiles are operated on a variety of terrains, including ice, snow, snow and icy rutted trails, and jumps. As such, the driver's body may be jolted in a back and forth fashion causing the driver to receive a majority of the forces through the handlebars when riding on such terrain. These forces can result in short term fatigue of the driver's upper torso and wearing of the driver's joints.